my woman, but I trust that you would say so if either of you was hurt badly.
There was both reluctance and warning in his tone. Triumph burst through her. He had listened to her. More and more she was beginning to believe he would do that, listen carefully and take into consideration what she said.
You know the way home, little Jewel, she whispered to her female. Take your time with Dymka. Don’t let him push you into anything until you’re ready.
Jewel gave a little sniff. The sniper had thrown her for a moment, but now that she was assured by Ania and Mitya that it was being taken care of, she was back to her most alluring. She had her mate close and her body was driving her, needing his attention—just not yet. It couldn’t be that easy for him. She wanted him to earn it. He was a big cat, and sadly, there weren’t challenges to him. She would have liked that. Male cats vying for her attention.
You little hussy.
It is good that he knows others want me. I am more valuable to him.
I think you’re valuable enough.
Jewel began to move away from Dymka, throwing him coquettish looks and rubbing along the tree trunks to spread her alluring scent. She became quite vocal, calling out as she wandered through the trees, rolling on the ground to spread her pheromones everywhere. She rubbed along the trees and rocks and called out continually.
Dymka paced along behind her, showing patience Ania hadn’t thought he was capable of. He didn’t try to approach Jewel until she began to run, playfully throwing up pawfuls of leaves and swiping her claws along thin tree trunks. Every few yards she slowed to allow Dymka to circle her, coming close when she crouched. If he got too close, she rebuffed him with a swipe of her paw. He leapt away, far too fast to get caught.
Jewel liked the attention, and not quite ready for the male, she took advantage, leading him across two streams, playing in the water, throwing the liquid into the air and dancing around for a few minutes before running again toward Mitya’s estate. It was several miles away. They had to cut across Eli Perez’s property. It bordered the enormous Bannaconni estate.
The two leopards had gotten deep into the Perez property, heading toward a grove of trees, Jewel vocalizing repeatedly, her call becoming more amorous and urgent with each passing mile. It had grown very dark and more than once she had rested, Dymka guarding her, careful to stay a small distance away. She continued to rebuff his advances, but he was persistent, staying just close enough to let her know he wasn’t going anywhere.
Jewel sent out another call. To Ania’s horror, three males roared in answer. Jewel shivered when Dymka came to life. His answer was more than a challenge. There was a hunger for battle, a need as deep as the one driving him to mate. He welcomed the challenge and told the other males to bring it on.
12
DEEP in Jewel’s body, Ania was concerned that they had crossed private land, land owned by shifters. Shifters who worked for Bannaconni and Perez. It was possible, even probable, that the males had heard the young female calling for a mate. It would be natural for the males to answer the call of a female in heat.
Mitya. We can’t let the males fight one another.
Jewel gave a little sniff. She might be timid, but having males fight over her was a good thing, not a bad one. Ania ignored her. She reached out again to Mitya. Instead of the usual calm, steady man, in his place she found a being eager to accept the challenge the three newcomers had roared.
Mitya. Someone had to be the voice of reason. Let’s make a run for it.
There was the briefest of hesitations, and a chill went down her spine. Jewel felt it as well as she went still. Waiting. For some reason, Ania felt as if there was an axe poised just over her neck. What is it? Just tell me.
Those leopards are not local, kotyonok. They are men from my father’s lair. I recognize the voices of their leopards. In the old days, they would turn their leopards loose on Dymka to hunt him.
Ania found herself shivering violently, even buried deep inside Jewel. She knew some of Mitya’s history, because he’d shared it, but she also knew he’d whitewashed it—that it had been far worse